The following May, SWAC officials announced the league offices would move from New Orleans to Birmingham and that the championship game would be played at Legion Field.[4][5] Birmingham was selected over New Orleans, Houston, Baton Rouge and Memphis as the city guaranteed both free office space to house the league headquarters and free access to Legion Field to host the game.[4] The inaugural game was played on December 11, with Southern defeating Jackson State 31–30 before 47,621 fans at Legion Field.[6] The following week, Southern lost to Hampton in the Heritage Bowl; however, the meeting would be the only one for the SWAC champion following the championship game. In January 2000 the NCAA ruled schools cannot compete in two postseason games, effectively ending participation in the Heritage Bowl by the SWAC champion.[7] With the SWAC left unable to compete, the Heritage Bowl folded in February 2000.[8]

In July 2010, commissioner Duer Sharp announced the SWAC was interested in participating in the Legacy Bowl against the MEAC to determine the annual black college football national championship.[9] Although a decision regarding the contest has been postponed to 2011, SWAC participation in the event would potentially end the annual championship game in Birmingham.[9][10] In May 2013, SWAC officials announced the game was to move from Legion Field to Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas starting with the 2013 edition of the championship.[11]

When the game was initially proposed, the teams playing in the championship game was to include those with the best record against seven conference opponents from each division.[12] However in August 1999 league officials changed the rule. For the inaugural contest, participation in the championship game was based on the record against the four divisional opponents only, not all conference teams.[12][13] This format was dropped by the SWAC following the 1999 championship game in favor of the original proposal based on all league games, not only the divisional opponents.[14]